Universal Rule

Book Reviews

Friday, February 14, 2003

Opera releases "Bork" edition -- Comment()
The Swedish Chef Goes After Microsoft:

Two weeks ago it was revealed that Microsoft's MSN portal targeted Opera users, by purposely provided them with a broken page. As a reply to MSN's treatment of its users, Opera Software today released a very special Bork edition of its Opera 7 for Windows browser. The Bork edition behaves differently on one Web site: MSN. Users accessing the MSN site will see the page transformed into the language of the famous Swedish Chef from the Muppet Show: Bork, Bork, Bork!
In October 2001, Opera users were blocked from the MSN site. The event caused an uproar among Web users and MSN was forced to change their policy. However, MSN continues a policy of singling out its Opera competitor by specifically instructing Opera to hide content from users.
"Hergee berger snooger bork," says Mary Lambert, product line manager desktop, Opera Software. "This is a joke. However, we are trying to make an important point. The MSN site is sending Opera users what appear to be intentionally distorted pages. The Bork edition illustrates how browsers could also distort content, as the Bork edition does. The real point here is that the success of the Web depends on software and Web site developers behaving well and rising above corporate rivalry."

-- Comment()
IBM abandons Intel's Itanic: "BIG BLUE has discontinued efforts to adapt Linux for the Itanium, according to IDG. IBM spokesman Ron Faveli said 'IBM doesn't have anyone dedicated to working with Linux on Itanium.'" [Google Technology News]

Microsoft's Open Source Emissary Departs, Offers Suggestions -- Comment()
Dan Gillmor's eJournal tells that Dave Stutz, who has been Microsoft's most persuasive ambassador to the open-source community, has left the company. Stutz writes: "I've spent a lot of time during the last few years participating in damage-control of various sorts, and I respect the need for serious adult supervision. Recovering from current external perceptions of Microsoft as a paranoid, untrustworthy, greedy, petty, and politically inept organization will take years. Being the lowest cost commodity producer during such a recovery will be arduous, and will have the side-effect of changing Microsoft into a place where creative managers and accountants, rather than visionaries, will call the shots."

-- Comment()
About the Keynote XML File Format: "This Technical Note contains the schema describing the XML file format used by Keynote documents (refered to here and in later documents simply as "APXL" -- Apple Presentation XmL). It is intended for developers who wish to create or modify Keynote presentations programmatically." [ via Dan Hon > More Like This WebLog]

-- Comment()
New York sues drugmakers over pricing scheme: "New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer on Thursday filed suit against Pharmacia and GlaxoSmithKline, charging those drugmakers with engaging in illegal schemes to boost market share at government and private payers' expense." [Reuters Health eLine]

-- Comment()
Big Brother: "You think Google is "way kool"? Think again. There are people who believe that Google is a privacy time bomb, and they do have a point." [via John Robb > The Aardvark Speaks]

-- Comment()
Red Hat Gets Thumbs-Up from U.S. Government: "Linux vendor Red Hat's Advanced Server platform has become the first open source application to receive a key U.S. government certification, the Defense Department's Common Operating Environment (COE), clearing the way for its use in critical government applications, including military uses." [osOpinion]